Animal Visitors

[Oracl]

We have recently had some animal visitors to our yard and/or street so I thought I'd post pictures of them. :)

This first one is a White-lipped Tree Frog sitting on the table outside our back door. It was very wet that night and he was covered in little bits of debris. :)

[Oracl]

This is a Spectacled Flying-fox who took a liking to a palm tree outside our home and spent a few days hanging there. He would go off each night to feed and come back each day to hang. He was joined by a smaller "Speccy" for a day or two. :)

[Oracl]

This picture shows a group of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos feeding on the side of the road outside our place. With them is a lone Corella. This Corella is either a Long-billed Corella or the south-western form of Little Corella, I am not 100% sure which one. :rubchin: Now, here's where it gets interesting ;) neither of these types of Corella is found in this part of Australia, they are found in Victoria or Western Australia. So this guy must be an escaped captive bird. :thumbsup: He looks really happy with the wild birds even though they are a different species. I have even seen him argue with them over the best bits of fallen fruit. :D

[Bowwowmeow]

That little tree frog looks so cozy in that shot.
I wish we had bats around where I live. You have to go to the mountains of you want to see them, and then, if you walk a good distance behind your friends, you get to see little bats swooping down at their heads as they walk along in the twilight.
Thos birds look like they are plotting all kinds of mischief. :devil4:

[Bowwowmeow]

Here are some of our regular visitors. Pez enjoys entertaining. :rolleyes: :goodbad:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/PezandDucks.jpg

[Bowwowmeow]

Here is another visitor Pez would like to become better acquainted with. This is a three feet tall egret, though, so he hasn't got much chance. :no:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/photos486.jpg

[Oracl]

It was kind of Pez to feed those ducks! ;)

The egret is very beautiful. :)

[Bowwowmeow]

It was kind of Pez to feed those ducks! ;)
Wasn't it though? :goodbad:
That's koi food the ducks are eating, by the way. It is very important not to feed bread to wild birds., in case anyone doesn't know. :professor:

[Bowwowmeow]

Here is my Dad's visitor. He is a crow who knocked himself out against a window, and my Dad found him and kept him until he regained his strength. He has never forgotten this, and comes around every day for peanuts when the garage door is open.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/DadsCrow.jpg

[Oracl]

Crows are such clever birds, I have always liked them. :)

[Oracl]

This Asian House Gecko is a regular visitor each night. He likes to catch bugs attracted to the light from the kitchen window. :agree:

[Oracl]

This is just one of the many Striped Skinks we see in our yard each day. They can be quite aggressive towards each other and even engage in what look like serious fights. :eek:

[mothwing]

Excellent pictures :agree:

[Peas'nHominy]

I wish I had taken a picture of it, but our latest visitor was a large frog -- and it was in my house! After TJ helped the fatdude out, it was time for Luke to take his bath...he pleaded all he could ever so sweetly for me to let him take the bath with the frog! Then, TJ announced that there was another frog under my bed! At this point I thought I would faint! .... but the second frog turned out to be only a prank by TJ. (The first frog was real which Luke brought into the house, but there wasn't really another frog under my bed.) SO while I was inside the house screaming, the kids were laughing, and my husband was in the garage ignoring!

Boys! :dizzy:

[Fauxmage]

Their very first day!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/May003.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/May002.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/May001.jpg

[Oracl]

Those are adorable ducklings. :nanakiss:

And they gave me an excuse to use this smilie:

:ducks:

(Do the ducklings in the smilie look more like little chicks to anyone else? :confused: Or is it just me?! :o )

[Phoenix]

:ducks:

(Do the ducklings in the smilie look more like little chicks to anyone else? :confused: Or is it just me?! :o )
:agree: They are very cute but they look like chickens ...

[Oracl]

This St Andrew's Cross Spider took up residence on our recycling bin shortly before we left Cairns. We carefully relocated him to a safer spot on a bush, I don't think he would have survived the recycling collection process! (He spun a new web almost immediately, exactly where we put him on the bush. :) )

[Bowwowmeow]

Wow! Is that his web, that is X-shaped? That is amazing.

[Oracl]

Wow! Is that his web, that is X-shaped? That is amazing.
Yes, that is his web. :agree: I don't know why they spin the cross. I may have to do some 'Googling' to find out! :rubchin:

[Oracl]

Yes, that is his web. :agree: I don't know why they spin the cross. I may have to do some 'Googling' to find out! :rubchin:
OK, I finally 'Googled' and this is what I found:

The St Andrew's Cross Spider can be recognised by its distinctive web with zigzag bands of silk woven into the shape of a diagonal cross. It normally hangs upside down in the web with two paired legs placed along each arm of the cross. The silken cross may be used for strengthening the web, for camouflage or for enhancing prey catches. It has been shown that the cross reflects ultra-violet light which is particularly attractive to insects.

:spiderweb:

[Fauxmage]

Thanks Oracl! I have Jacob's Ladder spiders on my boat. I'll have to find a web to photograph. They look like ladders, rather than the standard roughly circular variety, but they are tiny, only about a centimeter or so wide, and the spider itself is so small I doubt I could take a photo of him.

[my3labs]

This is "Riley" the rat. He used to live in our garage with his friend "Ben", until we discovered their way in. We sealed the hole and now they live out in the woods behind our house.
Yesterday I put up a few new squirrel feeders and I guess Riley likes to help himself to "Sammy" the squirrel's food.

[paul]

thats amaziny oracl, ive never heard of one of them spiders before.

i like rats.

[Oracl]

i like rats.
I really like rats too. :agree: :colors:

I'm glad Riley and Ben are happy out in the woods, and having fun stealing squirrel food!
:dancerat: :squirrel :dancerat:

[my3labs]

I'm glad they're happy out there too since they were destroying everything in my garage. They had even found their way into the crawl spaces between the walls and I could hear them talking now and then. I was really afraid they were going to start an electrical fire because at one point I heard them in the wall behind the stove.
My entire family and all the neighbors wanted us to kill them but we wouldn't do it. :rock:

[Oracl]

My entire family and all the neighbors wanted us to kill them but we wouldn't do it. :rock:
:thumbsup: :cheer:

[my3labs]

My stepmom was convinced that rats were the reason for "The Plague". she never came out and said it but I think she felt like they were vile creatures capable of no more than transmitting disease.
I don't know why, but I'm pretty afraid of them. I like them and I think they're cute and deserve respect but I have some weird paranoia about them. Similar to my fear of spiders. I even had a squirrel on my deck a few months ago. he got within a few feet of me and it creeped me out. I don't know why I'm afraid of them. It's silly.

[Oracl]

The main thing is that you don't want to harm or kill the animals that you are afraid of. :colors: Unfortunately so many people do. :(

[Gliondrach]

It's doubtful whether rats had anything to do with the 14th Century plague. It was probably some sort of haemorrhagic fever.

[Gliondrach]

I had a visitor yesterday. I'm not sure how long she was here but I threw her out last night. No, this wasn't one of my many female-type admirers. This was an earwig. I opened the fridge to get some bread and margarine and there she was on top of the margarine tub. Nearly an inch long and dangerous-looking. I bought some food yesterday but only soya milk, a loaf of bread and margarine. She was on the other margarine tub, not the one I bought yesterday. The last lot of food I bought was on Tuesday. I bought carrots and Brussel's sprouts. I ripped open the bag that the carrots were in yesterday morning because of all the condensation in it. If the earwig was in there that could have been the opportunity for escape. But that would have meant the earwig was in the fridge for three days. The beast could have been on one of the cartons of soya milk I bought yesterday, I suppose. It's a mystery that will never be solved now.

[Keykeypie]

You're very smart......:professor:
I wouldn't have even known what it was. I had to go ask google to show me a picture
........so did she look like this?
http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/4348/earwigvd3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

How'd you know it was a lady earwig?

[Gliondrach]

If that's the same as our common earwigs, it's a female. The male has pincers that curve inwards. There's another species, which I've never seen, called the lesser earwig. I believe the configuration of pincers is the opposite in them - male, straight, female, curved.

[Keykeypie]

If that's the same as our common earwigs, it's a female. The male has pincers that curve inwards. There's another species, which I've never seen, called the lesser earwig. I believe the configuration of pincers is the opposite in them - male, straight, female, curved.

You just made that up...didn't you?:nahnah:

[maddie]

You guys have some great photo's here. I don't have any cool photo's to share that are uploaded to my computer so I'll share these totally awesome videos:

Crow: http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/09/video-crow-uses-oncoming-traffic-to-prepare-food

Crow making a tool: (this one is cool but it makes me mad because the crow is obviously in captivity)http://www.sciencemag.org/feature/data/crow/weirmovie.mov

Lyrebird: http://www.devilducky.com/media/46386/

[paul]

they are really good maddie, i saw the lyrebird on tv a couple of months ago, it made me feel strange inside, when it mimic the chainsaw,

[Gliondrach]

Those two crows are really clever, especially the one who bends that piece of wire.

[Gliondrach]

You just made that up...didn't you?:nahnah:

No. I am one of the foremost entomologists in the world. My book, Creepy Crawlies Under Stones, is the official text book for Cambridge University entomology undergraduates. Here's a page from it:

http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/veg/european_earwig.htm

[Keykeypie]

No. I am one of the foremost entomologists in the world. My book, Creepy Crawlies Under Stones, is the official text book for Cambridge University entomology undergraduates. Here's a page from it:

http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/veg/european_earwig.htm

:rofl: :tantrum: L L P O F :tantrum::rofl:

[Gliondrach]

I have an infestation of tiny beetles in my kitchen. I've discovered where they come from. I threw out a lot of things a few weeks ago because they were infested. Porridge, oatcakes, flour, rice and one or two other things. Now I keep everything tightly sealed in plastic bags. I usually use the bags that bread comes in for this. I bought some wholemeal flour a few weeks ago and immediately sealed the bag in a plastic bag. It is tied at the top so that nothing can get in. It now has beetles inside the bag. They must have hatched out of eggs that were already in the flour. This will have to be thrown out into the bushes like the other things of a few weeks ago. I will buy more flour but will use it within a couple of days. I will only buy enough to last a few days. Now, I just have to find out where the penguins in my fridge came from.

[thevegantwins]

I don't think plastic bags are good for keeping critters out. I've been using glass storage containers (recycled peanut butter jars or marinara jars) and large storage containers and we haven't had any problems with bugs inside of products.

Our problem now is fruit flies, they are everywhere. I think they came home with me several weeks ago from the farm when I got a bag of organic pears. The best pears are the ones that have fallen from the tree so they were picked off the ground. The pears are gone but the fruit flies remain since we always have fruit and veg ripening on the counter.

Anyone know how to get rid of them?

[Bowwowmeow]

1. To keep insect eggs from hatching in grains and flours, put them in the freezer for a few days when you bring them home from the store. Freezing for a few days will have only a minimal effect on the nutrient content of cereals and flours, and it will kill the eggs before they have a chance to hatch. I used to do this with the birdseed I used to buy to feed the wild birds with, and the seed used to sprout regularly in the rain, so I know it was not damaged by short term freezing. The kitchen used to be filled with tiny moths that came in with the seed, and the worms used to get into all the dried goods in the cupboard, even unopened packages sealed in plastic, until I figured out to freeze the seed as soon as I bought a new sack.

2. To keep critters from getting into grains and flours in storage, if they haven't already, store these foods in rigid containers (like glass) and put a bay leaf in each container. My Mom and Grammas did this, and it works, without flavoring or scenting the flour or cereal.

3. Fruit flies usually leave within a few days of all ripe fruits disappearing from your kitchen. If you can store your fruits in the fridge for a few days, they should disappear. Of course, they will be back as soon as you bring in more ripe fruit. They aren't particularly harmful though. I can't think of any way of killing their eggs on the surface of fresh produce that doesn't involve something that will harm the produce; ie. freezing or blanching in boiling water for a few seconds. Any sort of chemical treatment would negate the whole idea of buying organic stuff, but you might try a vinegar dip. This is only a guess, though. I have never read of vinegar having any effect on insect eggs, but it is a good substance to use to clean fresh produce. A salt water dip might be effective, too, as the salinity might have a drying effect on the insect eggs. That's only another guess, though. But salt and vinegar have a long history of preserving foods before any chemicals were in use, so they might have some ability to destroy tiny eggs and keep them from hatching. And you've really got to do it as soon as you bring the stuff home, rather than right before you eat it, or the eggs have time to hatch and turn into flies.

[Gliondrach]

I don't have a freezer. Just a fridge. But, as an earwig was living happily in there, it's not very cold. I left a bulb of garlic in there for a few weeks and it started sprouting shoots.

[Gliondrach]

I've only had one house fly this year. Normally, there will be two or three buzzing around the light bulb in the sitting room. I open the balcony door, stand so that they are between me and it, and then run at them waving my arms and making the noise that a spider makes when it is hunting. They fly out and I close the door. A few hours later or the next day and they are back and we play the same game again. They really enjoy it. But only one house fly all this year. That was late, about a month ago. I didn't get a chance to chase it outside because it disappeared and is hiding somewhere. I think that I only saw two or three all of last year. Something has happened and house flies are becoming rare. I wonder if that is why house sparrows are in decline? They need insects to feed their young. The house flies probably are a bit on the late side for them but they might be out by the time sparrows have their second brood. Whatever is causing the decline in house flies might be affecting other insects, too. The ones that sparrows normally find in early Spring.

People used to have dustbins outside thier houses. Now they have wheelie bins. Perhaps they aren't as attractive to flies. Perhaps the bodies of dead birds and rats are collected more efficiently now so the flies don't have a chance to lay their eggs on them. Or the requirement to pick up doggie dos when Fido has done his business might also be a factor - no nice festering piles for the flies to land on. There are more organic gardeners now but there also seems to be an increased use of poisons in gardens by those who haven't gone organic.

I was in Wallsend last week. This is a town near here. I passed a hedge and heard what sounded like dozens of sparrows. So they are still hanging on but they are in danger. I used to see lots of them here picking up food that had been put out for birds. They would nip in sharpish and steal bread from pigeons. I used to hear them in bushes or see them flying up to their nests in a building opposite here. No sight nor sound of them here now.

I like them and hope that they manage to make a come back.

What's the situation with them where you are?

[Oracl]

What's the situation with them where you are?
Unfortunately they are considered a pest here. :( If they try to cross the border into Western Australia they are shot on sight, as that state is trying to remain sparrow free. (As far as I know. But now some other clever little Ozzie will probably correct me and say that's all bullsh*t! :sigh: )

[Gliondrach]

Well, I believe you. A few years ago, in China, people were encouraged to kill as many house flies as they could and I think they were also encouraged to kill sparrows.

[thevegantwins]

I'm not sure what sort of birds I see on my way to work but at one particular traffic intersection, there are at least 1,000 of these smallish dark birds. I love watching them fly, they fly in large circles. I think it has something to do with 'harvesting' insects.

[Gliondrach]

Could they be swallows or swifts, perhaps?

[thevegantwins]

I have no idea, I've never heard of swifts so we probably don't have them around here. I've had a closer look while stopped at a red light and they appear to be about 5 or 6 inches long, black with maybe brown or grey specks.

[Gliondrach]

Swallows and swifts have forked tails. From what you describe, I would say that they are brown or grey specked insect catchers.

I've just thought, I haven't seen any starlings this year. Normally at this time of year huge flocks fly over my house on their way to town as dusk approaches. I haven't really been looking for them but I should have noticed some at some time. Perhaps all the building of yuppie flats has made them take a detour. I'll have a look later before it starts to get dark, which will be in about an hour from now. I used to be able to see them swirling and wheeling far away over the city centre as they did their pre-roosting flight. Now, with yuppie flats built in my line of sight, I won't be able to see them do that. Curse those yuppies!

[Oracl]

I've just thought, I haven't seen any starlings this year.
Unfortunately they are also considered a pest here. :sigh:

[KRITER]

This St Andrew's Cross Spider took up residence on our recycling bin shortly before we left Cairns. We carefully relocated him to a safer spot on a bush, I don't think he would have survived the recycling collection process! (He spun a new web almost immediately, exactly where we put him on the bush. :) )

This looks like a garden spider we hav here.Wen I was a youngin we called them riting spiders.We beleeved if the spider roat your name in the web you was fixing to die.

[Oracl]

This looks like a garden spider we hav here.Wen I was a youngin we called them riting spiders.We beleeved if the spider roat your name in the web you was fixing to die.
:eek: ;) :D

[Charmagne]

I have been gathering these male mosquitoes in the house and releasing them outside for the past week. It is that season - they'll probably be around for a couple of months then all we'll see are the female which are about an eighth of this size.

They are harmless - they don't bite - they leave that to the females!! I am just amazed at their size as you can see next to my finger. Was wondering if anyone else's mosquitoes are this big! Thank goodness they are not the females as they are really bad during the summer.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u144/Charmagne_2007/100_0115-1.jpg

Sorry about the quality of my picture. Oracl's are always so amazing!

[Oracl]

That is a HUGE mosquito, Charmagne! :eek: Nothing wrong with that picture! :)

Now I have to admit that I didn't take every single one of the photographs I have posted here. Mr Cal took a few and I took the rest. :)

[Fauxmage]

Oh, I've seen them that big around here. I never knew they were the male mosquitoes, though. :bhead:

[Gliondrach]

We only get midgies here.

[paul]

wonderful photos Oracl and Charmagne. i thought it was a crane fly when i saw it. the mosquito not the spider.

[Charmagne]

I've asked too many people - they are the male species of mosquito. Fauxmage said she gets them that big where she lives - so I'm not too concerned - just hope they don't grown any larger as we'll need to install stronger windows and doors!:covereyes:

[Fauxmage]

This beautiful bird came visiting the back yard of one of my customers. I've never seen one before, but it moved and acted just like an American Robin, so I wasn't surprised to find it listed on the same page as the American Robin in one of my Dad's bird identification books. It is a Varied Thrush. The odd thing is they do not usually occur this far south, but I guess all the severe weather has driven a few animals further south than usual.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/Animals/variedthrush.jpg

I didn't have my camera, so I found this picture on the Web. :smallheart: :smallheart: :smallheart:

[Fauxmage]

Maybe that is a crane fly after all, Charmagne. I found this on the web about mosquitoes:
Common mosquito misconceptions:


*Electronic repellers really work!! No, they really don't. You shouldn't waste your money - your time is better spent surveying your area to eliminate mosquito breeding sources such as containers with water.
*Bug zappers control mosquitoes - the common ultraviolet "bug zapper" does not control mosquitoes, and can actually reduce populations of beneficial insects.
*If I have bat (or bird) houses, I won't have mosquitoes - Not really true - birds and bats may consume mosquitoes at times, but not so you would notice. They prefer larger prey and will not reduce the mosquito population appreciably.
I saw this male mosquito, and it was HUGE!! - Actually, you probably saw a crane fly - looks similar to a mosquito, but is much larger. Male mosquitoes are smaller than the female, has no proboscis (mouth parts for piercing the skin) and has fuzzy antennae. Most people will never see a male mosquito.
I have a mosquito nest in my tree - that is probably a tent caterpillar - mosquitoes do not nest.
Mosquitoes are coming from my grass (shrubs, trees, etc.) over there - Mosquitoes may rest in cool, shady vegetation, but cannot develop there - stagnant water is required for the first 3 stages of life.
*from the Rutgers University, NJ website: http://www-rci.rutgers.edu/~insects/proprom.htm (http://www-rci.rutgers.edu/%7Einsects/proprom.htm)

[Blueshark]

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/Animals/variedthrush.jpg

I didn't have my camera, so I found this picture on the Web. :smallheart: :smallheart: :smallheart:

I was going to say, great photo, but seeing as you nicked it - I will just say cool looking bird.

[Fauxmage]

Hehe, the snow would be a giveaway if I hadn't admitted it wasn't my picture. We haven't had snow here in over twenty years. :snow:

[Blueshark]

You live in or near Mexico? I always forget :sorry:

(j/k)

[paul]

what a beautifull bird,it looks so warm and cute.

[Charmagne]

[QUOTE=Fauxmage]

I saw this male mosquito, and it was HUGE!! - Actually, you probably saw a crane fly - looks similar to a mosquito, but is much larger. Male mosquitoes are smaller than the female, has no proboscis (mouth parts for piercing the skin) and has fuzzy antennae. Most people will never see a male mosquito.


That bird is gorgeous! Wish we got those kind around here. We're just now getting birds back since the hurricane.

Do you really think I could of been lied to all of these years by these Mississippi ingrates? It mentions that the male mosquito doesn't have mouth parts. I don't think these do although I will check it very carefully the next time one wanders in. Thanks for posting that.:)

[Oracl]

This beautiful bird came visiting the back yard of one of my customers.
That really is a beautiful bird, Fauxmage! :agree: :colors:

[Oracl]

Do you really think I could of been lied to all of these years by these Mississippi ingrates?
:liar: :lol:

[Fauxmage]

You live in or near Mexico? I always forget :sorry:

(j/k)
Actually, it was part Mexico once, a very long time ago. :agree:

[Charmagne]

OK...they are not really visitors but I'll post it here anyway. Does anyone know how I can get an ant hill to move without using nasty pesticides or anything that might kill them. I don't want PedAnt and his armies over here bringing no telling what kind of ants from Australia to sting me!:no: It is just a couple of feet outside the back porch and I've been taking the puppies out for the past few days - the fresh air really makes them sleep. Since their eyes and ears have opened I have puppies from hell! No - they are so cute trying to run and are so clumsy!:) No matter what they keep coming back to this ant hill - two of them got in it today!

[Oracl]

I haven't consulted Ped on this, as he gets very militant about ant persuasion techniques. :rolleyes:

My suggestion is to try using a garden sprinkler to make the ant hill area wet, like in a very localised rain storm, so the ants pack up and move to a drier spot. :rain: And possibly put a temporary puppy-proof fence around the ant hill until the ants have moved? :doggygrin:

[Gliondrach]

I noticed yesterday that I have a wasps' nest in the air brick/ventilation brick at the back of my house. It leads into a kitchen cupboard. The panel in the cupboard is closed and none can get in. But, there are three or four wasps constantly flying in and out. People pass by and will notice. It might get worse when more workers hatch out. I think that the environmental department of councils sends people out to kill wasps if they nest near people. There is no way of preventing people from seeing the wasps. I can't move the nest. The only thing I can think of is to wait for the winter and hope for the best. Then I will cut open the wall from inside, make sure that no wasps are hibernating and then put some thin mesh on the inside of the air brick.

Any suggestions?

[Oracl]

That's a tricky problem. I guess there's no way you could persuade the wasps to move on?

[Gliondrach]

Fuzzy has come up with a good idea. It is not ideal but the only alternative for the wasps is death. I am going to block the airbrick but also run a piece of hosepipe from it along the wall - there's a bit of an overhang above where the airbrick is so the pipe will be underneath this overhang and not visible to people - and up behind a drainpipe to the fire escape. I will angle the end of the pipe downwards a bit to keep the rain out. I will put some strawberry at the end so the wasps will be attracted to the smell - the adults live on fruit juice. It will probably mean that they will have to walk about 20 feet along a dark pipe but, as I said, the alternative is death. Fuzzy said that he could send some men from the Royal Engineers to do the job but I will be able to manage it myself.

[Bowwowmeow]

I hope it works, and Fuzzy doesn't get stung! I have no good ideas for solving this problem, except that you should become a hermit, so that whoever comes to visit you can set up housekeeping without your nosy neighbors interfering.

[thevegantwins]

That Fuzzy is one smart bear. I'm not surprised he came up with such a spiffy idea. Hope it works.

[Gliondrach]

Fuzzy won't get stung. He won't be doing the work. I will put the pipe in position first and then wait until it starts to get dark before I block the entrance and connect the pipe. This is to make sure that no wasps are locked out of their home. I'm beginning to have doubts because it will be a long way for the wasps to walk along the pipe. But there is no alternative.

[Oracl]

Fuzzy and Gliondrach - what a team! :yea:

[Gliondrach]

I haven't done it yet. I've measured from the airbrick up to the bottom of the fire escape. It is 14 feet. I will need an extra 10 feet or so to let the pipe reach the wall of the fire escape balcony-thing. Of I might just let it end on the floor of the fire escape. That will be 10 feet less for the wasps to travel along a dark tunnel. I will block the airbrick with clear plastic so light still gets in. And I'll make dozens of holes in it to let air in. Just small enough to stop the wasps getting through. I will probably have to secure the hosepipe to the drain pipe with cable ties. I saw some six-foot lengths of white plumbing pipe today but it will be difficult to join them together. A flexible hosepipe will be better. I think I'll punch holes in it where the rain can't get in. That will allow some light in. On the vertical section, leading up the drainpipe, I will angle the holes upwards so any rain drops dripping down it won't go in the holes. And, at the bends, I will put drainage holes on the underside of the bends to allow any moisture to drain out. This was another of Fuzzy's suggestions. He learnt that trick when building observation posts in South Armagh.

[Oracl]

Good luck! :thumbsup:

[Gliondrach]

I was out there at 7 o'clock this morning sweeping up all the debris that they have ejected from their nest. Most of it was granules of cement that must have been left there. I did it because it would have attracted attention. The wasps were buzzing around me as I did it. I told them that I was trying to help them and they went away. I still don't know how to cover the airbrick. I can't use glue to stick something on. I might have to tap panel pins in.

[Oracl]

How is the work progressing, Gliondrach? :)

[Gliondrach]

The only hosepipes I can find have an internal diameter of about half an inch. Much too narrow even for a one-way system. But wasps would be travelling both ways in it and there would be traffic jams. It would also mean they would be in dark tunnel for at least 15 feet. It would be too much for them. I am leaving things for now. No one seems to have noticed that they are nesting there even though people have to cross their flight path. This is on a public balcony which is only four feet wide. My brother noticed them because he is the one who told me they were nesting there. They must have only just started flying because I hadn't noticed them. I hadn't been out of the house the day before and the day before that I had gone another way to get downstairs. A neighbour, who often knocks on my door and keeps me talking, has knocked on my door three times - and kept me talking - since I became aware of the wasps. Even though they were flying close to us he didn't notice them.

As people are walking along the balcony they will probably be deep in thought or might be looking at something downstairs. The male wasps hatch out in August and then things might go a bit quiet. In the Winter I will open the ventilation thing - which is in a kitchen cupboard, make sure there are no wasps hibernating in there and then put some mesh on the inside of the airbrick to keep them out. If any are hibernating, I will put them in a wooden box and put them on the fire escape.

[Bowwowmeow]

The flock of Canadian Geese who hang around outside my Dad's house.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/Animals/Geese.jpg

[Oracl]

Beautiful. :colors:

[thevegantwins]

They're murdering Canadian geese constantly in this state. They are considered a 'nuisance' species because they poop. Humans are a much bigger nuisance and have alot more poop. :flush:

[Gliondrach]

The wasps are dead. I came home to find a pile of white powder had been sprayed on the air inlet and lots of it was lying on the ground at the bottom of the wall. There was about a cupful of it. The fools just left poison lying arouund. I washed it down the drain with lots of buckets of water.

[Bowwowmeow]

:(

[Oracl]

That's a shame. :( The wasps were just trying to live their lives, like the rest of us. :s:igh:

[Gliondrach]

They are supposed to have stung somone. I swept up the debris they left on quite a few occasions without any bother from them. They would fly around me when I was doing it but they didn't sting. The person who was stung must have attacked them. Incidently, I wrote that the debris was what they had cleared from the nest but it was what they dropped when they were plastering over some of the holes. Most of the holes were filled in. It looked as if a bricklayer had done some rough repointing.

Poor little wasps.

[dreamer]

I seldom have any problems with insects such as wasps. Even my dog just leaves them alone and he was stung once by a yellow jacket...I was stung a few times as a kid, but once I got a bee in my sandal (I dunno how), once I landed on a yellow jacket when I fell down, and once another group of kids (unbeknownst to me) had hit a yellow jacket nest with a stick. Otherwise, they generally leave me alone because I do the same.

Now biting flies and mosquitos, they occasionally get at me. Even though it's not very vegan, I'm not very nice about leaving them alone once they try to bite me:sorry:

[Bowwowmeow]

Last night when I put kitty food out for the feral kittens I saw the two baby raccoons who live in the neighbor's basement climbing out of the dumpster where I went to throw away the cans. They are so cute. I talked to them before they had the chance to run away, and they stopped and listened to me. At least that's what it looked like. They made eye contact, anyway, and they were glad to get the cans and clean them out too. I've tried to photograph them before, but I haven't succeeded yet. :racoon: :racoon:

[Oracl]

How adorable! :colors: I hope you manage to get a photo. :)

[Bowwowmeow]

Ever since we had the conversation at the dumpster the little scoundrels have been climbing on the boat and leaving dirty footprints on the chair cushions on my back deck, which is right outside the door. They've even been climbing on the back of my truck. I guess they can tell by the smell that its mine, because there haven't been any dirty footprints on anyone else's cars.

Anyway, tonight I caught them in the act of stealing the koi food I feed the ducks with. ;)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/Animals/Raccoons4.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/Animals/Raccoons3.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/Animals/Raccoons6.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/Animals/Raccoons5.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/Animals/Raccoons1.jpg

Sorry for the picture quality. Its dark out, and I didn't want to use the flash and scare them away, so I fiddled with them in the photo editor. I have some lights hanging on the back deck which aren't very bright, so that's why you can see them at all. The glass door is very smudged from Daisy's nose, too.

:racoon: :racoon: :smallheart: :smallheart:

[Oracl]

They really look like bandits with their masks on! :)

[Gliondrach]

The little devils.

[Bowwowmeow]

They sure do look cute when they use their little hands to pick up the spilled pellets. They look just like people when they do that. :colors:

Its strange, but I am pretty sure that if I actually was putting cat food on the back deck, the raccoons, which are completely wild, would probably be more likely to come aboard and eat it than the feral cats, who are descended from domesticated animals. :confused:

I'll have to be careful in the future, though, because that's the way we go out, and I don't want Daisy to run into them in the dark, for our and their sakes. :crossfingers:

[paul]

Gteat photos they are so cute.

[Phoenix]

In the past few days we have had baby mudlarks come to visit with their parents. The babies like to paddle around in the birdbath while the parents wander around and look for food. We also had an extremely well-fed baby turtle dove come in today.

I threw a handful of "wild-bird seed" on the path for about 20 or so assorted doves to enjoy, when our resident crow came in to the garden. She is probably the sweetest crow in the history of crows! :agree: She likes to sit on the fence when I hang up the washing and talk to me - I just wish I knew what she was saying. Anyway, the doves were eating quietly, when one of them noticed the crow and PANICED. :speechless:

The dove took flight, which caused the other birds to panic and fly off, too. The poor crow was looking all over for the big, scary monster that had frightened the doves, and she (the crow) was getting more and more upset because she couldn't see what had frightened the doves.

Poor crow. :s:igh: When she took off, the doves came back almost immediately. Crow returned later and had some food and a bit of a play in the birdbath.

I'm hoping to get a new (digital) camera in the post-Xmas sales, so hopefully I'll be able to get photos of the birds. :)

[Gliondrach]

I like crows and their cousins.

[thevegantwins]

Raccoons are adorable.

[Oracl]

I'm hoping to get a new (digital) camera in the post-Xmas sales, so hopefully I'll be able to get photos of the birds. :)
:crossfingers: :thumbsup:

[Bowwowmeow]

Here's a pretty heron who came visiting while the tide was extremely low. There were over a dozen ranged along the water's edge. They don't usually flock together like that, unless the pickin's are especially good.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/Animals/Heron.jpg

I had no idea their eyes were red until I uploaded the photos! I haven't identified the genus and species yet.

[Tails4wagging]

Great pic,. Looks very different from the species we get over here in the UK.

We do get a fair amount of egrets here now.

[Oracl]

That is a beautiful photo, BWM! :colors:

[Gliondrach]

Yes, very bonny.

[my3labs]

I'm in a bit of a quandary.
My neighbor's dog (I've talked about her quite a bit), is about 12 years old, and very ill. She's got some kind of fused spine thing going on that seems to make it very painful to use one of her back legs, so she's compensated by limping around with three legs. She doesn't go to the field with us anymore...I can only assume that it's painful for her to walk. She's REALLY thin. Keep in mind that this dog has only seen the inside of her house two or three times. She's kept outside 24/7.

So, recently, I've started seeing rats every night, running from her food bowl to some unknown place in their backyard. I see it every night, without fail, around 9:00 pm.

My question is this: do I tell my neighbors that there are rats stealing her food (knowing they'll put down traps) or do I let it go?

[Tails4wagging]

Try to take the dog out and to a vet. Poor soul .

[Oracl]

I'm on the side of the rats, I wouldn't dob them in. :no: But it sounds as if the dog needs much better care. :(

[Gliondrach]

As a last resort, I'd report the people for cruelty and neglect. Before that, I would try to hand feed the dog once a day. Can you convince them that the dog needs treatment? Do you know anyone in another part of town who could adopt the dog? If so, a kidnapping would be in order. Even if it was done by a local AR-type group, to distance yourself from any 'crime'.

[thevegantwins]

I'm on the side of the rats, I wouldn't dob them in. :no: But it sounds as if the dog needs much better care. :(

Agreed. Anyway you can 'accidentally' drop extra food over the fence for the dog? Or ask your neighbors if she can come over for a playdate with your gang then feed her when she's over?

[my3labs]

Last night was very cold and snowing a bit. I usually see Cara in her dog house, pretty much 24/7. I saw her laying in the grass. I went outside to check on her and she wouldn't come to me. I went inside to grab some food and was able to coax her to come to me. She gobbled down the food and then laid back down in the grass. This morning when I went to work she was in the same spot and when Sarah got home from school she called to tell me that she was still there. I don't know why she has been laying in the same spot for almost 24 hours. I called animal control today and they said they would send somebody out. I'm sure my neighbor's will know it was me that called and it's going to cause a lot of tension but I had to do it.
As of 6:25 pm, she's still laying in that spot.

[my3labs]

I just took her some more food. She's emaciated. When she's lying on the ground I can see the bones in her legs...not the shin bone, but the bone where her thigh muscle should be. Her stomach is probably about 5" wide. She's a rottie!!!!!
After she ate, she just went back to her spot in the grass.
I think she's dying. How can they not know (or be concerned) that their dog has barely moved in 24 hours????????????

[Bowwowmeow]

:(
I'm the last one to be able to explain why people do the things they do.

[Gliondrach]

Poor Cara. She would be better off dead than living with those filthy scum. Are there no AR groups you can contact to save her?

[my3labs]

Animal control took her today. I'm not sure if they surrendered her or if they just took her. I just caught the tail end of it when they were loading her in the van. I really hope they put her up for adoption. But as sick as she is, they might just put her down. I'm going to try to find out.

[Gliondrach]

Poor Cara. I hope she is adopted and given treatment. The scum who neglected her should be prosecuted. They knew she was in pain and they knew she was losing weight. I hope they pay dearly.

Good for you, My3labs.

[my3labs]

Sad. I just spoke with the officer that took her. When he showed up, my neighbor (the husband - who hates the way she's treated by the family), approached the officer and asked him for help. Basically, he told the officer that she is very old and sick and they had an appointment for her to be euthanized next Thursday. So, the officer walked back there and told him that he should have it done sooner than later because she's clearly suffering. So, they loaded her in the officer's van and took her to the vet and had her put down.
I'm trying really hard not to feel guilty now. I feel like I killed her. But, I guess they were going to do it anyway and at least she's not suffering anymore.
RIP Cara. I'm going to miss you.

[my3labs]

So, what kind of people know that they're going to euthanize their dog and let her spend her last week laying out in the cold? They can't even bring her in and show her some kind of love before she dies?
Jerks!!
I'm glad I called. There's about an inch of snow on the ground and she'd still be laying out there suffering had I not called.

[thevegantwins]

:comfort: You did the right thing, my3labs. Poor Cara. F***ing scum humans should be banned from every having a dog again. It made me cry thinking of her outside for so long before being killed. I can't understand humans being so heartless either but I know it happens way too often. :(

[Gliondrach]

You did the right thing, My3labs.

I hope that scummy family are prosecuted. I hope one day they realise what suffering they caused and that the knowledge of it will be painful to them.

The husband hated the way his family treated Cara! Does he live with them? Why did he allow it?

[my3labs]

Unfortunately in the US, the minimum that you have to provide is food, water and shelter. They'll never be prosecuted or even fined.
It's disgusting. It's weird to look at their backyard and realize that she's gone. It's sad but good at the same time.

[Bowwowmeow]

I haven't got anything to say. :bmoon: :bmoon: :bmoon: I can't stand even thinking about it. I'm glad you "interfered" my3labs. :( :( :(

[Oracl]

You did the right thing, my3labs. So sad. :sorry: :(

[paul]

:(

[Gliondrach]

As I've written before, I am fighting a constant battle against tiny flies in the bathroom and tiny beetles in the kitchen. I think I am winning the war against the flies. I have only caught 17 this week - ending just now at midnight. But I have caught 230 beetles in the kitchen. I can't remember a time this week when I have gone in there without seeing at least one beetle. I will go in there for something, see a beetle, catch it after a fight, throw it over the balcony, go back in to do whatever I first went in to do, see another two beetles, catch them, send them packing, go back in and, if I'm lucky will manage to do what I want to do.

I caught 18 last Sunday, 7 on Monday, 11 on Tuesday, 28 on Wednesday, 61 on Thursday, 43 on Friday, and 62 on Saturday.

They get everywhere, including the fridge. Last year I had an earwig in there and couldn't understand how she got in. I have discovered that the door doesn't close properly - the magnetic strip allows the bottom to be open slightly.

I have also discovered that the beetles like to hide in some scouring pads I have on the draining board. And in a cloth I keep draped over some empty jars. I have checked these the last two mornings and find 2 or 3 of the wretches hiding in them.

The beetles have a mania for climbing. I usually see them climbing up the walls and across the ceiling. They also climb up the water filter jug. I often see one on top when I go to fill it. And they like to climb on top of my saucepan lid. Two came to a nasty end. I use it to heat water up for tea. There is a gap under the handle on top of the lid. On two occasions when I went in to make the tea I saw a beetle dead on top. They must have climbed up and hidden in the gap. If they had climbed to the top of the handle they would have survived because it doesn't get too hot. The poor little devils will have been roasted to death. I always shake the lid and bang on it now before turning the gas on.

As the wretches came into my house in a bag of flour they must be cereal crop animals. They must like climbing up because that is what they have to do to get to the ears of wheat in the fields.

I will win this war, just like I am winning against the flies. Not for nothing did Fuzzy train me in strategy and tactics.

[Gliondrach]

The beetles invaded the house in a bag of flour. They must have read the story of the Trojan Horse. They can fly but rarely do. They just float down, being so light. And they bounce. Well, they do when they fall from the ceiling. I haven't been in the kitchen for the last half hour but I have already evicted 14 of them. No flies. I used to have to catch 2 or 3 flies first thing every morning.

Yes, there are spides galore. I see quite a few dried beetles here and there.

[Gliondrach]

No, they are tiny brown-ish beetles. Just like minature scarab beetles. About the size of a pin head. Some are slightly bigger. Some smaller. And they are nothing like the weevils in Torchwood.

[Gliondrach]

They are probably one or both of these species. But some are smaller than 1/10 of an inch.

ht tp://ww w.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th7a.htm

[thevegantwins]

The bugs know you are a kind and gentle human, Martin so they chose your home over the typical murdering humans' home. You should be honored. :agree:

[Gliondrach]

I don't feel honoured. I don't understand how there can be such a difference in size. Some are one-sixteenth of an inch and some are about an eighth of an inch.

[thevegantwins]

Maybe some are babies.

[Gliondrach]

The babies are larvae. The adults should all be about the same size - not some twice as long as others. I wonder if it has anything to do with the nuclear submarine fuel cell that I keep behind the fridge?

[thevegantwins]

That's it! Do the bugs glow in the dark?

[Gliondrach]

Yes. I thought they were glow worms at first.

[Gliondrach]

I'm winning! I only see one or two flies a week. And only about 10 or 12 beetles a day. The insect hasn't been born who can outwit me. With the possible exception of Ped.

[Ped Ant]

The insect hasn't been born who can outwit me. With the possible exception of Ped.
gliondrach is my new best friend. :friends:

[Gliondrach]

Thank you. Who used to be your best friend?

[Oracl]

Ped won't like me telling you this, but he has never had a friend before. :shakehead: You are the first. :uhuh:
Lucky you! ;) :whistle:

[Gliondrach]

Well, he would be hard pressed to find a better, truer, more noble one.

[Oracl]

Or more modest! :whistle: :laugh:

[Gliondrach]

I haven't seen any flies in the bathroom for weeks.

During May I hardly saw any beetles in the kitchen. But they are back. I evicted 34 on Tuesday, and 53 yesterday. 43 so far today. But I have a new secret weapon. A jumping spider has appeared in the kitchen. Quite small - about the size of a housefly. Black with three white stripes on the back. He or she partols the walls and ceiling all day. Took up residence yesterday.

[thevegantwins]

That's alot of beetles, I've never heard of a population that large in someone's home. Have you been inviting them for tea and toast?

[thevegantwins]

A few nights ago, Felíne showed me her new friend, a wee bug that looked a bit like a millipede. I was really tired and though I usually relocate our insect visitors to the balcony, I told the bug that they could stay as long as they didn't bother anyone. Haven't seen them since.

[Gliondrach]

Could Feline have eaten the beast?

[Gliondrach]

I think the spider might be a Salticus scenicus zebra spider. I've read that they eat dead food so I'll put a dead beetle in front of it. There are always one or two knocking about. Other spiders only eat live food because their eyesight is not good enough to recognise things that don't move. So, if you are ever confronted by a giant spider, stay still and hope it's not a jumping one.

[thevegantwins]

She is the epitome of a scaredy-cat. More likely, she was so scared, she ran into our room and jumped on the pillow so I could protect her from the beast.

[Gliondrach]

She is compassionate.

[thevegantwins]

She is compassionate.

Would that be before or after she left the cat turd on my pillow? :blecch:

[Gliondrach]

:D

[Gliondrach]

56 of the wretches so far. And still 6 1/2 hours to go for today.

[thevegantwins]

Are you factory farming beetles?

[Gliondrach]

I think the record for the plague earlier this year was 63 in one day. Something tells me it'll go over that number today. I blame Labour and Bliar.

[Tails4wagging]

They know when their well off, they know you are not going to kill them.:)

[Gliondrach]

68! And nearly three hours still to go. Each day since Friday there have been more than the previous day.

I feel like killing them. I dread going in to the kitchen because I know I'll have to spend time catching 2, 3, 4 or 5 in a jar and then throwing them over the balcony. I usually have to get some of them off the ceiling which means standing on a chair to reach them. People on balconies opposite can see me making strange movements with my arm as I chuck them over. They must think I'm mad.

[thevegantwins]

No comment. :whistle:

[Tails4wagging]

Are they cockroaches?.

Try putting down talcom powder around the area where they come in?.

[Oracl]

No comment. :whistle:
Ditto! :whistle:

[Gliondrach]

No, they're not cockroaches. They are flour beetles. They came in in bags of flour or porridge. All things like that have the eggs in them and they hatch out if you don't use the bag up quickly or put them in the freezer.

75 yesterday. 42 today so far, with more than 7 hours to go.

I think the spider might have caught at least one. I found a dead one on the draining board that hadn't been there the night before. I crushed it between my fingers and it was as dry as dust. I didn't count that one - I only count the ones I personally evict.

[Gliondrach]

58 yesterday. I think the tide has turned. 16 so far today with nearly 13 hours to go.

I found another dead one on the draining board yesterday.

[Gliondrach]

72 of the wretches with just over an hour to go. And yet another dead one on the draining board.

[Tails4wagging]

No easy answer here Martin..


How big are they?.

[Ped Ant]

do you want me to have a word with them? :beanie:

[Gliondrach]

They are about a sixteenth of an inch long.

Yes, Ped, my friend, it would be good if you had a word or two with them.

75 in total yesterday. Which makes 206 in the past three days. And 13 so far today. I even found two in the bath. I occasionally find one in the bedroom, the sitting room or the bathroom. But most are in the kitchen. I keep a bucket of water against the fridge door - to make sure it stays shut - and there are always two beetles floating in the water each morning. They are still alive. Imagine what this place would be like if I just let them get on with things.

[Gliondrach]

75 of them on Saturday. 59 on Sunday. 97 on Monday. 118 on Tuesday. 69 so far today, with more than 9 hours to go.

I find them everywhere in the kitchen, on the ceiling, in the sink, many times on the water filter jug and on the top of the saucepan, crawling up the walls, in my upturned cup, on the draining board - everywhere.

They have declared war but I'll stand firm.

I saw that jumping spider a couple of days ago start running towards a beetle on the kitchen window. I intervened and chased the spider. I saw the spider again later. I have a net curtain on the window to stop people seeing in. It has some thicker embroidery-type patterns on it. I saw the spider walking along. Then a beetle emerged from behind one of the patterns and walked right in front of the spider, crossing the spider's path. The spider stopped and actually took a step back, as if startled. The beetle strolled away. I later saw the spider, still on the window, near two beetles. They all went their separate ways. Has the spider turned vegan? Have I persuaded a spider to give up killing for a living?

[thevegantwins]

I wouldn't doubt you converted a spider, Martin. You are, after all, Super Vegan! A caped crusader who hurls toast at animal abusers everywhere!!

[Gliondrach]

:D

119 of the blighters so far. With still nearly 7 hours to go.

I can go into the kitchen, collect 5 from the ceiling, 2 from the draining board and 3 from the walls. Then go back 10 minutes later and there'll be 4 on the ceiling, 2 in the bucket and six on a cupboard.

It's been very warm today. Might have something to do with it.

[Oracl]

119 of the blighters so far. With still nearly 7 hours to go.
Is this story fact or fiction? :laugh:

[Gliondrach]

Very much fact. In fact, the total for yesterday was 150!!!

61 today so far. But it seems quieter in the kitchen. Not so many on the ceiling. Perhaps Gecko should send some of his non-vegan friends here.

[Gliondrach]

129 yesterday. I thought they must be running out of reinforcements. But there have been 154 today - and there's still nearly an hour to go.

[Oracl]

:speechless:

[Gliondrach]

I think I have found their HQ and I have captured it.

Yesterday's total was 162. There have been 99 of them so far today. Still 8 1/2 hours to go.

I have a stand-thing where I keep things. Mostly plastic bags and tin foil. I get the foil from things that are wrapped in foil. I used to take the foil to a charity shop which collected it for recycling. The shop closed a few years ago. I now have a lot of foil. I was searching through it today because I often hear the sound of beetles amongst the foil. You can hear them fall. I found a small bag of some flour of some sort. It was in another plastic bag but it had a hole in it. It was crawling with beetles. I put it into another plastic bag and tied a knot in the top. Just a simple overhand knot. I was going to do a square knot but decided it would be too elaborate and the beetles wouldn't have appreciated it. I'll take the bag downstairs tonight and slit it open so all the flour can spill out and the beetles with it.

I could have sworn I saw a beetle flying yesterday. I definitely did see one today.

[Gliondrach]

Only 136 yesterday. Only about 40 after I discovered their bag of flour.

So far today, only 25. A few days ago there would have been 2 or 3 times that number. Once I've collected all the stragglers there shouldn't be any more trouble. It will take a few days.

[Oracl]

I think I have found their HQ and I have captured it.

I have a stand-thing where I keep things. Mostly plastic bags and tin foil.
Hmmm, funny place to keep bags of flour! :rubchin: :D

[Gliondrach]

I think it's supposed to be a vegetable rack. It is two trays on legs. Plastic coated wire construction. I keep all sorts in it. But no vegetables.

[Gliondrach]

After the 136 of last Saturday, there were:
Sunday 86, Monday 68, Tuesday 76, Wednesday 58, Thursday 24, Friday 32.

There are now times when I can go into the kitchen and not find any. It's all thanks to Fuzzy. He told me to use a technique he devised in the 1950s to defeat the Chinese communists in Malaya. This is the only time that Chinese communists have been soundly beaten.

[thevegantwins]

I was hanging organic garlic bundles up on the balcony to dry and noticed there is a small wasps nest, about 3 inches by 3 inches. There are several large wasps working on it so I assume they are enlarging their home for babies. I don't mind wasps normally but with them on our balcony, it means we can't really sit out there and that I can't hang anymore garlic bundles because I might touch their nest and make them angry.

Does anyone know if I can move their nest safely?

[Gliondrach]

It'll be stuck to the wall. If there are no larvae in it you could pull it off. Perhaps you could break into it to see if there are any larvae. You might be able to get it off and then stick it over the side of the balcony so the wasps won't fly up to the balcony.

[Oracl]

I think it would be difficult to stick it back anywhere once it was pulled off, and I think the wasps might abandon it anyway if it was moved. Worth a try though. :)

The sooner it is removed the better really (if you need to do this) so there is less chance of any developing larvae in it and hopefully the wasps will simply rebuild somewhere else. :crossfingers: Be very careful you don't get stung!! :eek:

[thevegantwins]

I have no idea if there are larvae but there are several small, covered honeycombs (?) but I'm not sure. How would we go about removing it without getting stung since there are always at least 2 adult wasps hanging around on it?

[Gliondrach]

I'm not a wasp expert - one of the few things I'm not an expert on - but I think the covered cells will have developing eggs in. Could you cover it and have a pipe leading over the balcony as an entrance? Or kitchen roll rolls stuck together and covered in plastic bags for waterproofing? Depending on how far from the edge of the balcony it is.

[Oracl]

You will need a Hazmat suit, TVT. ;)

[thevegantwins]

Mr TVT took care of it last night at 3am when he got home from work. He stretched out a wire hanger then knocked the nest down while standing in our balcony door. He said 3 of the wasps got inside anyway but he captured them and relocated them outside. I saw on in the living room earlier. The Great Hunter, Felíne, was tracking the wasp but then she got scared and hid in our room. I guess in a few days, I can move the wasp's nest safely. I think I'll flick it into the bush below our balcony.

[Gliondrach]

The night before, carefully put it in a plastic bag and take it down so all the wasps are in the nest. That way, they won't get lost as the nest will be where it was when they went out hunting.

[Oracl]

Well done, Mr TVT. :)

[thevegantwins]

Yesterday, the entire TVT clan was at the pool. Me and Mr TVT were sitting on chaises next to each other when I saw something moving under his chair. The smallish brown object moved quickly under each chaise along the row. I said, "What the fuck was that?" (the kids were in the pool) and Mr TVT said it was probably a leaf. I said that wasn't a leaf. At the end, the small object stopped. It was a cute little chipmunk. The chipmunk did a circuit around the pool and then went under a fence. I guess he wanted to go for a swim but didn't want to be in the pool with Ben & Sarah. :)

[Gliondrach]

The tiny beetles in my kitchen are starting their advance again. I've seen two in the last few days. Both were quickly deported without the chance to appeal.

[Gliondrach]

There've been two days when I caught 5 beetles and one day when I caught 6 beetles. I caught 14 of them a couple of days ago. I hope it doesn't get to the point again where I'm finding 80 -100 every day.

[thevegantwins]

:rock: The Beetles! :band:

[Gliondrach]

They are tricky little devils.

[thevegantwins]

You need a Yoko Ono to come along and break up The Beetles.

[Gliondrach]

Good idea.

[Gliondrach]

I don't what's happening to the pigeons round here but their behaviour has changed. Since December, I've heard the one at the front and the one at the back (I've had lots of disagreements with these two in recent years) calling to their mates as if it was the breeding season. About 4 days ago I heard the unmistakeable sound of a young pigeon on the front balcony. He or she must have been born a few weeks ago somewhere near by. Why are they doing something so daft as laying and hatching out eggs in the Winter - and the worst one we've had for decades?

I wonder if it's due to their diet? Pigeons now eat a much wider range of food. A lot of it is discarded 'fast food' thrown down by people who probably buy it after a night in the pub. I've seen pigeons pecking at the remains of the food in the cartons. Pizzas, curries and some unidentifiable things. Pigeons are mainly corn eaters but now they are eating as omnivores. The cheese and meat must be affecting their brains. For the worse.

Years ago, the only fast food was fish and chips and no one threw them on the ground. Every last bit was eaten.

[Bowwowmeow]

Around here stores use these strips of metal with fine stainless steel rods sticking up at different angles on the edges of their buildings, anywhere they don't want pigeons to sit or nest. They look vicious, but they aren't spikes. They just don't look comfortable, and seem to keep the pigeons away without injuring them. Some of them also broadcast bird of prey calls through loudspeakers at intervals. That seems to work too. Those fake snakes and owls don't though.

[Gliondrach]

Yes, there are some of those spiky things round here. They are quite bendy - like the bristles of a brush. But the pigeons actually come and sit on or between my plant pots. Last year, they were trying to make nests on the soil until I put thorny twigs across bare spaces.

It's the damned stupid council's fault. At one time there were lots of buildings with flat roofs. They've put sloping roofs on them now. Old buildings have been pulled down and replaced with yuppie flats and student accomodation. The pigeons have been displaced and have moved in on our fire escapes and balconies.

[Gliondrach]

For the last few Winters I've heard a bird singing at night in January and February at about 2 or 3 am. At first I thought it must have been a nightingale. I listened to the song on the internet but it didn't quite match it. I wondered if it could have been a young blackbird practising his song. Then I was listening to a bird programme on the radio last week and heard a nightingale. The sound was like the bird I hear. Then I heard him again yesterday morning at about 2.30. I've just listened to the song on the internet again and I'm reaonably sure that was a nightingale I heard. Why would one live round here? There aren't many trees. Well, I suppose if one can sing in Berkeley Square, they can sing anywhere.

The song is very nice but not a patch on that of a blackbird's.

[Bowwowmeow]

Oh that sounds nice. I've never heard a nightingale. I've always liked that story of the emperor and the nightingale.

I've got lots of tree frogs singing at night at my bungalow, apparently, even at this time of year. I looked up frogs of the Sierra foothills, and they say the Pacific tree frog has a very loud song. I wish I could see one. I love tree frogs. I think I will plant more of the trees they like to live in along my creek.

[Gliondrach]

They don't sound as nice as a blackbird.

[Bowwowmeow]

Well I haven't seen any blackbirds nearby, so they will have to do. Though there are plenty of red winged blackbirds in Yosemite Valley. They seem to prefer grasslands.

[Bowwowmeow]

Awww, the people next door have been letting their kitty outside, and she has apparently being coming around the boat because she knows Seymour is inside. I saw her and opened the sliding glass door a little, so she and Seymour could see each other through the screen. They were so nice and sweet! I didn't know who Seymour would react, or her, because often strange kitties would rather fight than make friends. But they just kept saying "Prrrrrrrrrp" back and forth, and sniffing noses right up against the screen, and just being silly. It was so cute. :)

Seymour's mama used to come around, til she went missing for a few days. Her folks thought she might have been trapped somewhere. When she came back, they decided not to let her out anymore.

Oh I can hear her little tiny meows outside now. I think they might be falling in love.

[Gliondrach]

Spring is in the air. Seymour is growing up.

[Bowwowmeow]

I've moved all my camping equipment to my house, so I was there this weekend after my camping trip, and I got some pictures of my animal visitors.

These are "my" quail. Two couples have taken up residence under the shed I wanted to tear down:



http://lh3.ggpht.com/_M8aAcoQrumc/S99iM2_8UgI/AAAAAAAABCk/JnQyitHPfu4/s512/My%20Quails.JPG


http://lh6.ggpht.com/_M8aAcoQrumc/S99iM-IvrGI/AAAAAAAABCg/qk9O_KkWxsU/My%20Quail.JPG


http://lh6.ggpht.com/_M8aAcoQrumc/S99h3XCpzJI/AAAAAAAABCE/xS-2LnRV8ek/s640/DSC_0078.JPG


I used a mirror lens with a fixed aperture which my Dad gave me for Christmas. They are not best suited to wildlife shots, so I have read. I think these came out ok. I'm still learning to use it. The quail are so skittish I have to set up an "ambush". I can't get close enough to them to use my other lenses too well.

Here is one of "my" lizards. I have two. I can see them through the french doors while I sit on my couch, running amok on the patio. When the little one sees the big one, he puffs up his throat and stomach and does push-ups. This is the big one. He is not as scared of me when I go outside to talk to him.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_M8aAcoQrumc/S99h3U1TWII/AAAAAAAABCI/t998IjOB_mM/DSC_0111.JPG






http://lh3.ggpht.com/_M8aAcoQrumc/S99iM1PsLSI/AAAAAAAABCc/wHm_OB0OheY/My%20Lizard.JPG



That's my stone wall he was on. I still had my macro lens on for these pictures, from taking close-up shots of wildflowers.

As I was leaving on Sunday afternoon, I heard gobbling again. This time I got out my camera and saw the turkey gobbler next door. I still had my macro lens on.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_M8aAcoQrumc/S99h3484oxI/AAAAAAAABCQ/PjYm6Ka6h60/s512/DSC_0152.JPG



I didn't realize he had a lady friend:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_M8aAcoQrumc/S99iMDSKhFI/AAAAAAAABCU/G5zQdz1SE9c/DSC_0154.JPG



Make that two lady friends:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_M8aAcoQrumc/S99iMXsr7nI/AAAAAAAABCY/5FBSQYf53p0/DSC_0156.JPG

[Gliondrach]

The quails are very colourful. Nothing like our quails. As well as writing a guide to the flowers of the area, you'll have to write a guide to the birds.

[Bowwowmeow]

Yes those are California Quail, and different from the other kinds of quails here in the US. They are so funny. When they are content, and don't know I am nearby, they make a funny "pwt pwt pwt" sound while pecking for food on the ground.

[Gliondrach]

I found a flour beetle in the kitchen today. They are on the march.

[Gliondrach]

I found a total of 2 flour beetles last week. But 2 today (Sunday). The week is still young and they could be legion.

[Bowwowmeow]

Are they marching through your flour? Where are they coming from?

[Gliondrach]

I don't have any flour in the house. I had flour - which is how they infiltrated the house. I need to clean out all the cupboards. There are probably bits of flour in cracks. These will be the ones that were layed as eggs last year. I still had some bags of flour and other mealy things then. Some I had forgotten about.

Remember a couple of years ago when I evicted over 1,000 of the blighters in a few months?

The pigeons are becoming a real nusiance. I was woken up at about 4.50 this morning. I went downstairs and opened the balcony door. Three of them were out there. They had knocked over a plant pot. There is this group of 3. I don't know what they are up to - they should be in pairs. And there's another pair who often invade my balcony. The one at the back on the fire escape doesn't cause as much noise as he used to. But these wretches in the front have taken over that job.

Even when I chase them from my balcony they just go to the next balcony. I can still hear them when they are there. And then they come back to my balcony 10 or 20 minutes after I go back to bed.

I am going to get a net and put it over my balcony. Then I will move my bed into the back bedroom so I can't hear them when they are on other balconies. But I need to sort out and throw out a lot of rubbish that's been stored in the back bedroom.

[Bowwowmeow]

Those pigeons know you're vegan and they love you for it. :p

[Gliondrach]

I don't feel very loving towards them. :grumble:

They'll be starting in about 5 1/2 hours.

[Bowwowmeow]

I guess I should count my lucky stars that my barnacles don't knock my pots over, make noise, or invade my pantry. ;)

[Gliondrach]

Yes, barnacles and limpets can be very damaging.

Well, they must have known they'd gone too far and they didn't wake me up. I woke up naturally at about 6.35. But I did hear the pigeons on some balcony when I had woken up.

[Gliondrach]

Only a few beetles. But the house is becoming full of moths. I had to evict quite a few last year but didn't keep count. I chased some out earlier in the year but started keeping count 3 weeks ago when their numbers increased. Three weeks ago there were 3 beetles and 17 moths. Two weeks ago there were 6 beetles and 107 moths. Last week there no beetles and 135 moths. Today, first day of this week, there have been 2 beetles and 18 moths. It is 8.42 PM. I will probably catch a few more moths today.

[Bowwowmeow]

I saw one of "my" mousies the last two evenings. It was very hot, so I had the patio door open. I saw a streak of black lightning at dusk, and Daisy saw it too, and wanted to go out there, but I told her no.

The next evening he nearly hurtled at top speed right into the house, straight at Daisy's head if he hadn't stopped in time. I jumped up and found him on the step. He is so cute! Much bigger eyes than I've seen on mice. I asked him what he was doing and told him to go on his way. So he did. :smile:

[Gliondrach]

After that week where I found 135 moths, the next weeks were:

Beetles, 5. Moths, 149.

Beetles, 3. Moths, 112.

Beetles, 8. Moths, 99.

So far this week, 4 Beetles and 31 moths. I haven't done the last search of the night yet. I'll probably find 1 or 2 more moths.

[Gliondrach]

I spoke too soon. A few seconds after writing the above I saw 2 more moths in the sitting room. I went to get a jar but 1 of them had gone by the time I came back. The blighter will be hiding somewhere until I go to bed. I haven't looked upstairs yet. There's bound to be at least 1 up there in the dark.

[Bowwowmeow]

"My" quails have just hatched nine babies. :colors: :colors: :colors:

[nagev]

Cool! Any pictures of them yet?

[Bowwowmeow]

Not yet. This was their first morning outside, and the sun was already way too harsh for good lighting. I didn't want to frighten them by setting up my tripod while they were feeding either. I'll do that later, and maybe I'll get a photo of them if they come out for an evening feeding. I can set my camera up on the porch with the front door open, and hide behind it, and they won't know I am there.

[Bowwowmeow]

Got a few this evening! I'll try for some better ones early tomorrow morning.

Mama:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_M8aAcoQrumc/TEJqftfJ0zI/AAAAAAAABn0/OVe4FTJ5Seg/Mama%20Quail.JPG


Babies:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_M8aAcoQrumc/TEJqfNg0g0I/AAAAAAAABno/RRusnG0NlYQ/Baby%20Quails%201.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_M8aAcoQrumc/TEJqfeG1uQI/AAAAAAAABns/iJC4w6lwy8Q/Baby%20Quails%202.JPG


http://lh5.ggpht.com/_M8aAcoQrumc/TEJqffFdf5I/AAAAAAAABnw/rklNWUWhSic/s512/Baby%20Quails%203.JPG

[Gliondrach]

They would be well camoflaged if they were sitting still amongst the stones and stubble.

[nagev]

Awww. :)

[Bowwowmeow]

Mama, Papa, and all nine babies were just out feasting and dust bathing. Then they followed Papa down the driveway and across the bridge. I was glad to see all nine babies are still there. I worry about predation.

The dingleberries are starting to sprout on the tops of the babies' heads. :p

[nagev]

That's cute. :)

A couple years ago, when I was renting a house, there were some nesting quail. It was fun to watch them grow up. Although this year must be bad for them around here, since I haven't seen any babies, and I've heard other people state the same thing.

[Bowwowmeow]

Their habitat is dwindling around here, and I think it is legal to hunt them, though I am not sure about that. I like to do what I can to help them out. I'm actually thinking I am going to have to build a deck of some sort in that area, that they can use as shelter and a nesting area, once I get rid of the shed. I do want to put a greenhouse where the shed is, but a deck, one that projects over the bank with some steps leading down to the stream, would be a nice thing to have next to the greenhouse.

[Bowwowmeow]

Well I guess I have more than one little tree frog around here. The one in the garage last night left, or so I thought, because I saw him on the patio later on, sitting on the garden hose. I shut the door so he wouldn't go back in.

Just a little while ago I went out to do some more laundry. I had some in plastic garbage bags in the garage, out of the way, waiting to be washed.

I lifted the first bag off the second, and there was a little tree frog hunkered between! I had to pick him up to take him outside so I could do the wash. I put him in one of my planters under a large cycad, which I had just watered. I thought he would like it there.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4825124008_1323f94138_o.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4825124434_5ea6c8b7ab_z.jpg

[nagev]

Nice pictures. :)

[Bowwowmeow]

Nice pictures. :)
Thanks. :)

New pictures of the baby quails. I think two families have merged, because there were more than nine on the footbridge over my creek this morning, and two mamas in the area. I counted eleven babies on the bridge, and I believe more were down in the creek bed. They all eventually hopped off the bridge and wandered through the dry creek bed.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4841643492_3cc47f6e63_z.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4841039575_07d22687b1_z.jpg

[nagev]

That's neat.

Cool too that you have a foot bridge over the creek too. :)

[Bowwowmeow]

Yes sometimes a pewter gray kitty walks up it toward the house. He doesn't mind being talked to from the window; he actually comes closer. He runs away when I go outside though.

I would like to build a gazebo at the other end of the bridge, with some steps leading down to it. It's a nice spot for one. The bridge could use some hand rails too.

[nagev]

All sorts of building projects. :)

I like cats. I don't know if I could take care of one, due to their nature, but I sure wouldn't mind visitors. :)

[nagev]

We found a frog in our brussel sprouts today:

[Gliondrach]

Good picture.

To him, it must be like climbing a giant beanstalk.

[Bowwowmeow]

Awww how cute! That's a great picture. I just saw one last night in front of my dryer, while I was doing the laundry. It's a good thing I seem to have eyes like a cat in dim light, in spite of needing glasses, or I would have stepped right on him. I was going to take a picture of him with penny next to him, but he left when I turned on the dryer. He was the smallest yet of the ones I've seen. No bigger than a thumbnail, even smaller than a shelled almond.

Those baby sprouts look cute too.

[nagev]

I'm glad you didn't step on him too. :) You must have really tiny frogs (or they're just not adults yet). The one in the picture above was about an inch long, maybe just over an inch.

I like that we've converted out garden into a larger habitat. It was just grass before and we didn't really do anything with the grass so it just kind of died and was bleh. This year I've been working rather hard at converting it to garden or raspberries, blackberries, herb containers, etc so there are a lot more creatures about. The ladybugs have come back in a huge swarm too. It was crazy today, they were flying and crawling all about the garden. I should probably really take a picture and post it, but I feel a bit awkward doing stuff like that.

[Gliondrach]

You feel awkward taking and posting pictures?

[nagev]

No, not just taking and posting pictures. I want to share the experience, but I feel more second guessing when it relates to something I did, perhaps a bit of embarassment and a bit of don't wanting to be cocky and a bit of anonymity. I think sometimes that I think too much, if I had a hand insomething I don't want to come across as "Hey look at me..." or something like that, plus other stuff.

[Gliondrach]

Well, if you think something is interesting and think we'll find it interesting, you should just take a picture and post it. No one will think you're being cocky or conceited. :no:

[Bowwowmeow]

This poor little cricket has been hanging out on my desk for two days now. She only has one large hind leg. so she can't jump. I didn't want to put her outside for this reason, but I am not sure what she is doing inside. Lots of bugs seem to come in here, and then die in a day or two, and I can't tell if they die because they come in, or they come in to die in a bit of peace.

I looked her up on the web, and she seems to be a lady cricket, on account of this long thing sticking out of her behind, which is apparently an ovipositor.

I was mostly worried because she's showing no signs of wanting to lay down and die, but I don't know what she is getting to eat here on my desk. Apparently crickets are omnivores and scavengers, and eat lots of plant debris. I gave her a small slice of ripe pear and a little piece of Seymour's kibble, crushed to a powder.

Right now she is perched on one of my fossil specimens:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_M8aAcoQrumc/THXj0PYAUoI/AAAAAAAABpA/Ziir2uV_L-8/Cricket.JPG


That's not fresh poop, that's a coprolite, a fossilized turtle poop. Yesterday she was sitting on my rhodochrosite, which is a much prettier specimen to perch on in my opinion:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_M8aAcoQrumc/THXmg6b5tMI/AAAAAAAABpE/eZdRD7YEubc/s640/Rhodochrosite.JPG


But maybe not such good camouflage. :p

I hope she eats something of what I have put down for her. Or passes on in peace, if that's what she came in for. I don't know where she might have gotten in from, or how she got to my desk, but she seems content, so I will leave her be. Most of the buggy visitors I have come straight back in as soon as I put them out, so I don't bother anymore.

[Gliondrach]

Perhaps she flew in. Did you see her eating?

That's a beautiful rhodowotsit.

[Bowwowmeow]

I haven't seen her eating, no. I haven't seen any droppings anywhere either.

She was gone this morning, but just now Daisy plopped down on her dog bed, right next to my chair, and Ms Cricket jumped out of her way, so she can do a passable bit of jumping even with only one big hind leg. I did put her back on the desk. She didn't get very far away from Daisy, and if Daisy saw her she might try to get her.

[Gliondrach]

Good luck to Rachel (Rachel Hayhoe-Flint was a famous cricketer). She is a very plucky cricket.

[nagev]

Interesting friend you made.

Nice pictures too. :)

[Bowwowmeow]

Well I am under seige again. I had to close all the windows in the house on account of the smell. I've taken to turning on the outside lights now, in case they might not like it, but I looked out the bedroom window and saw one of the stinky miscreants. I told him to go spray his stinky smell somewhere else! He made a show of running off behind the shed, but I am sure he will be back. :p

He's so darn cute! :colors:

Gonna have to figure something permanent out though, because the smell is intolerable, and I am losing sleep every time they show up. They had been staying away for quite a while, but now they show up a'smellin' almost every night. I really don't like to have to go through the night with all the windows closed while the weather is nice, and once the vapors get in they don't dissipate very quickly.

I hope I don't have a skunk burrow in the ground right near the house. It really does seem as though he comes out right near the house and announces his arrival on the night scene with a great big blast of stinky "hello world". Seymour's kitty litter is due for a change out, so maybe I will sprinkle it out there and see if it helps.

This is the earliest they've been out too. They don't usually start in til 1 or 2 AM. Little fartknockers. I wish I hadn't gotten so sensitive to it. It never used to bother me.

[Bowwowmeow]

When it rains it pours. I wanted to go out and sprinkle Seymour's litter, and relocate Daisy's poop, to keep the skunks away from the bedroom window, and a rattlesnake started sizzling at me. After all this time I didn't think there were any on the property. I think this one was under the house. I turned on the hose, and sprayed it into the foundation vent, and the sizzling stopped.

Unfortunately, the screen over the entrance to the foundation is just chicken wire, and the holes are big enough to allow a snake to enter. They apparently like it under houses during the heat of the day.

I'm not sure he was under the house though. Once I heard the noise I didn't want to get any closer in order to see where it was coming from. Presently, I was able to go through the gate and sprinkle the litter.

I'll have to be 100% sure he isn't under the house before I replace the screen on the opening to the crawlspace.

I did find lots of very good advice for deterring them from your yard. I don't want to kill him. I just don't want him right where Daisy poops.

[Gliondrach]

I don't know if you found this sort of advice:

Some tips from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Eliminate their food source - mice
Snakes may also appear in basements or garages. They may be looking for a place to overwinter, or may be searching for food -- specifically mice. By eradicating rodents from your home or garage, you will discourage hungry snakes from entering.

Mice can be controlled by removing their food sources, nesting sites, or by trapping them. Store dog food, birdseed, etc., in metal garbage cans with tight fitting lids, remove woodpiles stacked adjacent to or in the house or garage, and seal up cracks to prevent entry.

Fencing
The only way to absolutely keep snakes out is with fencing. Snake-proof fencing can be made by modifying a normal chain-link, picket, or split-rail fence. Attach 24-inch-high hardware cloth (1/4-inch weave) or aluminum flashing to the outside bottom of the fence. Bury the bottom of the hardware cloth or flashing 2 to 4 inches into the soil. Gates should have the same snake-proofing and be kept closed to be effective.

The fence has to go all the way around the yard. Snakes tend to travel along a fence rather than go over it. If the fence ends or has an opening, the snakes will enter the yard at this point. Fill any mammal burrows that appear near the fence.

If there is no existing fence, aluminum flashing could be used to encircle the yard. The flashing should be 24-inches high and buried 2 to 4 inches into the soil.

ht--tp://ww--w.dnr.state.mn.us/livingwith_wildlife/snakes/deterring.html

=====

A PDF on their site has informtion about snake bites. This information is about Timber Rattlesnakes.

Step 3: Lightly wrap a wide constriction band around the bitten limb just above the bite site. Leave the constriction band in place until the victim has arrived at a medical facility and antivenom therapy has been initiated if deemed necessary.

----------
Bite Response for an Animal
If a dog is bitten by a timber rattlesnake, it should be taken to a veterinarian. If a horse or livestock is bitten, you should call a veterinarian to come out to check the animal. Most animals, if bitten by a rattlesnake, are bitten in the face. If venom is injected, it is usually not a fatal dose, but severe swelling will occur and can close of nasal passages. It is important to seek medical attention for the animal so that the swelling can be reduced and air passages opened up. Use of antivenom on dogs and livestock is an option, but is often not necessary. Most medium- to large-sized dogs, livestock and horses survive a timber rattlesnake bite.

[Bowwowmeow]

Yes very similar, thanks. I expect the snake traveled around the foundation just as they do walls, and slipped in through the crawlspace access door.

I haven't encountered him in the same spot today. Hopefully being hosed gave him the idea that staying under the house was a bad idea.

I really can't get rid of my mousies. They are living in the garage. I don't keep any food out there. They were already living there when I moved in, and since they don't do any damage, I am very reluctant to make them leave. I think I would rather just snake-proof the place. After over a year of owning this place, this is the first rattler I've encountered, so I am hoping it was just an anomaly, and the snake will move on. He was nowhere near the garage, where the mousies live, so might just have been more interested in a cool dark place to get out of the heat than anything else.

I looked up rattlesnakes in Mariposa, and got many old news reports of five and seven foot long rattlers being caught, and of course killed. :(
I've never seen such big ones.

The closest I ever came to one, I was on a geology field trip, and walking along ahead of the group. It's hard to go on geology field trips, because you have to be looking at the path so you don't fall, looking for very well hidden geological features, and watching out for dangerous animals all at the same time. I just happened to look down at the path while my foot was in mid air, and saw I was about to set it right in front of a coiled rattlesnake. Fortunately he was asleep! I froze, and started walking backwards. I came down the slope, and walked along a dry stream bed til I got across from where he was sleeping.

The rest of the class wanted to know what I was looking at, and of course I warned them off the path. As we stood and looked, the snake woke up, saw us all, and very slowly uncoiled himself and backed down into a hole under the rock. The class was disappointed because I and a friend of mine had just disturbed another rattler only about 20 minutes earlier, and he went off rattling as fast as he could, so no one but my friend and I got to see him. The snake went one way as fast as he could, and my friend went the other way as fast as he could, and I stood there laughing because it was just like a cartoon. :p

[Gliondrach]

There's no need to be alarmed when you confront a snake. An old snake charmer in India once told me that. He said: 'Don't be alarmed. Just tap on the ground very hard with your hands and the snake will think a herd of elephants are approaching. He will flee. Just do that and you'll never be hurt by a snake.'

He was a great bloke. He's dead now. Killed by a snake.

[Bowwowmeow]

:p

No sign of the snake yesterday. No skunks either. *knocks on wood*

[Gliondrach]

No, you have to knock on the ground.